What’s the secret to a long life?
In the case of Jean McIntyre it could be a combination of positivity and diet. The Burnaby resident is celebrating her 106th birthday on March 28.
“I’ve had a good life,” she told the NOW. “Not much money, but lots of company. I’ve worked hard.”
McIntyre was born in 1910, grew up in Calgary and now lives independently in Burnaby’s Harmony Court. She lived through the Depression, although she said she was too young to realize what was happening at the time. She later worked as a nurse and an X-ray technician and married but didn’t have kids. Her husband, Albert, passed away years ago. McIntyre never smoked. She didn’t care for drinking and couldn’t afford it anyway. When asked about her diet, she described herself as a meat-and-potatoes kind of person. As for physical activity, McIntyre spent winters ice-skating and summers swimming.
McIntyre is celebrating her 106th birthday at Harmony Court Estate, and local dignitaries have been invited. She lives independently and gets around on her own, with the help of a walker. She spends her free time in the recreation lounge, visiting other seniors.
“Everybody’s been so kind to me. I don’t have to worry about crying my eyes out,” she said.
She also exercises and plays.
